New Delhi: Union Minister for Sports & Youth Affairs Kiren Rijiju today inaugurated Khelo India State Centre of Excellence for Rowing discipline at the Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council Water Sports Academy in Srinagar.
He was joined by Manoj Sinha, Lt. Governor, J&K, for the ceremony at the Nehru Park in Dal Lake, Srinagar.
“It’s a pleasure to come at the Dal Lake to change the lives of the young sportspersons here. There is a lot of potential and we from the Sports Ministry and J&K Council are doing our best to help the youngsters here. Our Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a lot of plans in mind for Jammu & Kashmir. This will be a great opportunity for our future champions,” Rijiju said.
Rijiju had announced earlier this year during the Khelo India Winter Games that the Union Sports Ministry would open a state-of-the-art water sports facility in Srinagar.
The Union Minister also announced a host of new competitions at the Valley.
“I am so happy that Manoj Sinha ji and his team are doing their best to make the Water Sports facility one of the best in the world. From this year onwards, we will start a Khelo India Women’s football league here and all kinds of support will be given by the Sports Ministry. In October-November, we will organize a marathon competition as well in Pahalgam,” Rijiju added.
At present, the Khelo India State Centre of Excellence at J&K Sports Council Water Sports Academy in Srinagar will focus in the sports discipline of Rowing. This is one of the two KISCEs from Jammu & Kashmir itself, with the Maulana Azad Stadium for Fencing discipline in Jammu being the other. (PR)
